Romeo & Juliet, the Afterlife
by originalanonymouse
Summary: First piece, reviews welcome. No, scratch that. Reviews needed, wanted, practically required. Thanks in advance.
1. Chapter 1

It was raining the day Ron and Hermione met with their Magical Moving realtor exactly two weeks after their wedding. "Ron" Hermione groaned "let's just reschedule- it's practically pouring!" "No Herms" he replied, not noticing her expression tighten at the nickname, "we're married now, we'll need a house for all our children. We can't very well live with Harry at Grimmauld, now can we?" This was another shock for Hermione, the first came after the binding ceremony when he joked at the wedding reception about her accounts now being his. Only, it was no joke, magical marriages were old fashioned in the wizarding world and Hermione has unknowingly given every dime to her new 'Master of the House'- as Gringotts officially dubbed him. Now, on this miserably wet day, her newest shock was his thirst for children. Immediately.

"If you'll follow me please…" the realtor called over his shoulder as they dashed for the front door. The house was huge. A regal front hall showcased a massive staircase with large gold-trimmed rooms mirroring off the gleaming marble floor. "Sixteen bedrooms, nineteen bathrooms, four studies, expansive kitchens, a generous backyard…" he trailed off as Hermione sidled up beside an awestruck Ron. "This isn't it, Ron" she whispered. "But look at all the room! We could easily fit my whole family in here and there's plenty of room to expand our family!" Ron argued. "Ronald, please. I don't like it and it's so expensive..." "I have plenty of money" he clipped "I'm not poor anymore, I can afford the best." Both were cut short by a discreet cough. "I have plenty more properties to show you, and you can make up your minds at your leisure?" he offered.

Six hours later, Ron and Hermione were barely speaking. His remarks about money, children, and ability to settle on any showy property he felt would elevate his status infuriated her. Her refusal of every property, her lack of enthusiasm in general, and the way she tensed when he mentioned children had him clenching his jaw in anger. Finally! "Here we are" the realtor exclaimed "the last property I can show you today." His eyes shone with exasperation at the bickering couple. They had apparated directly in front of an old house with broken shutters and a creaky black wrought iron gate. "What the bloody hell are you showing us this dilapidated shack for?" Ron hissed. But Hermione went to take a closer look, her hand pushing against the gate…

… "Love, we could live anywhere you liked. In my estate or we could move to the south of France, maybe" he whispered. "As long as I'm with you" he added as he kissed her lips softly. "If we both make it through this war, I promise- we'll live together. Happily ever after, just like in the fairy tales" she whispered back….

"HERMIONE!" She whipped around to see Ron and the realtor watching her with perplexed looks on their faces. "I don't want to see this place, there's not a chance in Hades I'd live here" Ron said. "It makes the Shrieking Shack look like Buckingham Palace." But Hermione wasn't listening. She was gazing at the house, its dark windows daring her to look closer, its walkway beckoning her to step just a liiiiitttle closer, its towering height cocooning her with uncertainty.

"We'll take it" she declared.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm so glad you talked me into buying this place" he murmured as he kissed her neck. "Now I have extra galleons to buy a Chudley Cannons box and you can magic the house into something better." Hermione didn't even bother protesting doing all the magical alterations, his lips on her neck muffling her brain. Something about this house had her whole body buzzing. They purchased the property after a long night of yelling, screaming, broken vases, and sulking. The argument ended when Hermione irrationally put their potential offspring on the table. "I'll have as many children as you want" she quietly stated. Their entire apartment went silent. "And I'll quit my job to raise them all" she added even more quietly. "You serious?" he warned as his eyes burnt holes into hers. "Anything, I just... I just really want this house."

The next morning Ron settled on the property and Hermione magicked all their belongings into three suitcases. Harry, Ginny, the Weasleys, the Longbottoms, and a few close Hogwarts friends promised to attend the first christening supper at their new home later that evening. Ron grumbled as he pushed open the creaky gate, "put that blasted gate at the top of your to-do list" he called over his shoulder. Hermione eyed the gate, her breath caught in her chest- should she touch it again? Hesitantly, she gently lay a finger, then two, then her whole hand, then pushed her whole body against it. 'Why isn't it working' she thought. She was disappointed. Hurriedly, she caught up with her husband, who was standing in front of the door without moving. "There's something I'm supposed to do. Like, a muggle thing" he said while turning to her. In the next moment, he swept her up into his arms and grinned. "Our first home" he smiled. "Our first home" she replied. "You know, muggles didn't really think this tradition through, how the bloody hell do you open the door while carrying your beautiful bride?" he joked. She laughed and reached down and grasped the door handle for him…

… "You can see everything from up here" he said softly, not turning around. "I wasn't sure if you'd come…" she whispered back. He turned, taking her in for the first time. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, wisps of tendrils escaping and blowing about in the breeze. Her big eyes unsure as her dark lashes gazed at the floor of the Astronomy Tower. This wasn't a bookworm or a hero's best friend or an elf-activist. No, here in the moonlight, this was Hermione. He took a step closer and grabbed her hand slowly, "Hermione, where would I be without you?" Her eyes shot up and gripped him with an intensity he wasn't prepared for. "Dead" she replied…

"Hermione?! Love? Are you ok? Look at me!" Ron frantically pleaded. She blinked. "What? What happened?" "You, like, weren't here for a moment. I mean, you were here but you weren't. Blasted, I don't know- you sort of just left your body I think. What happened?" "I don't know" she replied, her breath coming in shallow spurts as panic began to take over. "I need some air" she exclaimed as she climbed up off the floor and blindly made her way to the back of the house. She pushed the door open with her shoulder and gasped as a burst of wind met her. She sat down on the back patio stoop, wrapping her arms around her body, and pressing her forehead onto her bent knees. 'This is stress' she mentally reasoned. 'This is just a product of stress, and lack of sleep, and guilt, and stress…' she trailed off. The property backed up against a forest, deep and dark as the sun began to play light off the evergreens. She felt oddly comforted, this forest reminded her of the Forest of Dean and the Forbidden Forest. Its enormous trunks, hundreds and hundreds of years old, soothing her anxious mind and bidding her to relax in their nature.

Later that evening, guests filed in. Bottles of wine, warm hugs, happy greetings, and oohs and ahhs filled the entranceway. Hermione had spent the rest of the day putting her nickname, 'Smartest Witch of Her Age' to the test. She transformed the house into a home and created a mixture of the warmth of the Burrow and the elegance of Grimmauld. The evening ran over as the guests made their way to the back patio, the forest twinkling with fireflies and romance. "I perfect home, my dear" Mrs. Weasley slurred over her wine glass. "It's so romantic out here" Ginny added, whilst throwing Harry a shy smile. Idle chat and laughter wound down the evening, until the guests reluctantly excused themselves to return home. "Thought they'd never leave" Ron said as he wound his arms around her stomach, pulling her back flush with his wide chest. He placed soft kisses on her neck as she tilted her head back and the slightest of moans escaped her lips. "Let's go christen our bedroom" he mumbled into her hair and led her up the steps. Once reaching the bedroom, he let go of her hand and placed both hands on her shoulders, pushing off her sweater. "You looked so beautiful tonight, playing house with me" he said before bringing his lips down to hers firmly. "We make a good team" she replied. Clothing began to drop to the floor, piece by piece as the couple stepped towards the bed. Hermione lay back as Ron moved over top of her, his mouth never leaving her chest. "Yessss" she gasped as he lined himself up and pushed slowly into her waiting heat. "Gods, yes" he groaned, eyes clenched shut. Hermione moaned with each thrust, his size filling her completely. He placed his forarms on either side of her head and began to move in earnest, earning him expletives from his beautiful wife's mouth. His movements began to increase in pace and force, her hips meeting him thrust for thrust on their own accord. "Fuck, Mione. Fuck, I'm gonna…" he gritted. "Oh Ron, I'm cumming" she panted. Both clutching each other in a frenzied orgasm and gradually relaxing into the soft bed. Ron grinned, eyes closed, as he drifted off to sleep. "I'll get the lights" she teased, rolling her eyes. As she rolled over and touched the lamp's switch, her heart stopped beating as her chest seized with terror and she involuntarily choked out:

"Draco."


	3. Chapter 3

"Draco" Hermione involuntarily choked out. All air had left her lungs, despite the urge to scream. His angry eyes locked with her scared ones. His shaggy blonde hair tucked behind his ear, a hoodie with a jacket overtop, jeans slung low to reveal the slightest slimmer of toned abs, and his hands clenched into fists. As her eyes traveled back up to his face, she noticed his eyes had changed. No longer was he angry, but rather just looking at her fully. He turned and walked out the open door. Adrenaline pumping back into her once frozen veins, she grabbed Ron's discarded shirt, dashed from the bed, and ran after him. "Dra- she stopped mid-sentence. He was standing in front of the fireplace, silent. "How are you here?" she squeaked out. "You…you're…" "Dead. Yes, I know." He answered, not turning to look at her. "Are you a ghost? Why are you not in your portrait back at Malfoy Manor?" her words tumbled out. He whipped around "I had unfinished business!" he snapped. He let out a laugh, sounding hollow and foreign. She took a step backwards. "What unfinished business? Is that why you've found me? To help you sort it out?" she hesitantly questioned. "No, you damn witch, YOU are my unfinished business" he whispered before disappearing. "DRA- No! Draco- come back! DRA" "Hermione?" came a sleepy Ron from the entrance "what the bloody hell are you yelling for?" "I, I…I just. Nothing. I had a nightmare or something. New house must be playing tricks on me" she replied. "Well come back to bed" said Ron. They made their way upstairs and slept through the night without a hitch.

"This looks wonderful, babe" Ron mumbled through a mouth full of bacon. She poured herself a glass of orange juice and browsed the Daily Prophet. After a moment of silence, she looked up to see Ron smiling at her. "What?" she giggled. "You. Me. Us. We're doing it, Herms. We're grown-ups making a house- no! A home together! This is exactly how I pictured our lives" he smiled. Hermione said nothing, but returned his smile and took a bite of her crepe. "Aww bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed as he spilt jam on his work robes. "I'll get it" she laughed and made her way over to the sink. "I can just magic it away…" Ron began. "You _know_ magicking stains doesn't work as well as the muggle way, and you have that meeting today. You don't want to smell like strawberries… or do you?" she teased. Grabbing a dishcloth off the counter and grasping the kitchen's sink lever…

… "Are you mad? We could be caught!" Hermione sputtered angrily. "I don't fucking care" came his reply "I need this. I need you. I'm going to die anyw- "_Don't_ say that. Don't you dare say that, Draco. You won't die" she hissed back. He smiled as he pulled her closer "We both know what will happen if You Know Who, no- _when _You Know Who finds out I'm not on that train. So give a condemned man one last kiss?" he solemnly pleaded. She didn't speak, for fear her dam of tears would break. Instead, she pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. The kiss quickly became intense, their bodies humming for one another, crackles of magic sparking at their frenzied touches. He impatiently yanked on her blouse, buttons flying in all directions as she tugged at his belt. He pushed her back against the wall and looked into her eyes "are you sure?" "I love you, Draco" was her reply. He smiled and pushed into her with one thrust. "I love you too" "Oh gods, Draco!" they cried simultaneously…

… "Hermione? Helloooo? Are you there?" Ron laughed, taking the dishcloth out of her hands. He kissed her forehead "I think you need to get some sleep, babe. You're starting to worry me. Do we need to take you to St. Mungo's or something?" "No, no. I'm fine" she smiled tightly and kissed his cheek. The minute he left- she was going to get to the bottom of this.

"Draco fucking Malfoy! Come out you bloody ferret! Where are you? I know you're here! I know I wasn't sleepwalking last night and that these flashbacks aren't stress-induced!" she screeched as she slammed open doors- room by room "Come out and explain yourself! I'm NOT going mad- you're doing this, aren't you? What do you want with me?! What is your bloody probl- she froze, motionless, as the door to the planned nursery swung wide. There he was. Sitting in the rocking chair, amidst boxes of Ron and Hermione's childhood toys. "This was supposed to be us. Me and you- we were supposed to have all this together. The house, the children, the dinner parties, the lovemaking" he spoke. "Drake" she began "I didn't mean for it to turn out this way, I just…I just had to put it all back together after you…" "Died. The word you're looking for, dear love, is 'died'. And now I'm here, damned to watch you and the Weasel live out our dreams. Unless you join me" he quietly concluded. "Join you?! How the bloody… Oh! Oh- _join you._ I see. I can't, it wouldn't be fair to Ron. I'm promised him all this. I can't just up and leave with you" she reasoned. "Come here" came his gravely reply. She cautiously stepped closer, unsure if he could or even would do her harm. "I won't hurt you" he sadly answered her unspoken thoughts "I'd never hurt you, love. I just need to touch you, to feel you in my arms again. Give me that much and I won't bother you again. Just one last kiss" his grey eyes pleaded with hers. She bent down and pressed her lips against his cold ones. Fire melting ice or ice quenching fire, either way- it was perfect. She gasped, stumbling back, tears pouring down her cheeks as the tips of her fingers touched her lips. He hung his head sadly and disappeared, but not before she saw drops fall from his face onto his pants.


	4. Chapter 4

A special thanks to .509 for reviewing. Chapter 4, last chapter. Enjoy!

Hermione left her place in the nursery and made her way down the steps, not noticing the sound of the floo. She numbly walked into the fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder and quietly said "Ministry of Magic".

Hermione contemplated his words later that day. She was putting together a proposal for the Werewolf Rights Committee to review. "_Unless you join me_" his words played over and over in her mind. Was she willing to end her life to begin a new one with him? How could she even know that she would remain a ghost like him? In typical Hermione Granger style, she weighed the pros and cons. Suddenly, her door opened and Harry walked in. "Mione, you ok? I've been knocking- I thought maybe something happened to you…" "I'm fine, Harry. Just caught up with…" _deciding whether to Avada yourself _"work, Harry. Just work." He looked at her for a moment and then sighed. Pulling up a chair, he sat down- elbows on his knees and folded hands on his chin. "Hermione, if you need to talk- I'm here. You can tell me anything. You know- without me overreacting or blowing up." Hermione laughed "you mean without giving me a Ron reaction?" Harry tensed "Yes, exactly." "No, Harry. I promise you I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about." An hour later, they said their goodbyes and Harry left, still wary.

"Miss Parker, I'm taking an early leave today. Could you please tell the Minister to owl me if he has anything urgent?" "Yes, ma'am" came Hermione's assistant's reply. Hermione took the elevator down to the Atrium and floo'd home. She'd made her decision. She hadn't died in the war. She wasn't fated to die. She had married Ron, made promises, and needed to continue building a life with him. Death would meet her when it was ready, but not a moment sooner. _Fate_, _ahhh_ she thought _what a tangled web you weave._ "Draco?" she called out. She began touching all the metal knobs, handles, and accessories in an effort to bring him to her again. She must tell him and put this all behind her. _Maybe buying this house was a way for us to say goodbye once and for all_ she thought. She made her way upstairs, undoing her hair and taking off her blazer and heels. "I need to speak with you, please" she pleaded with the empty house.

The floo activated. She ran downstairs hastily. Her work blouse catching on a railing splinter and tearing the fabric. "Sweethea- she froze. It was Ron. But he wasn't right. He was livid, wand drawn, and looked like he'd been crying. "Sweetheart who? Who were you calling, _Hermione_? I'm not supposed to be home for another two hours and _you! _You're not supposed to be home yet either. The game is up, I know what's going on- I forgot my folder and floo'd back this morning. You know what I heard? I think you know." Hermione didn't dare move. "Ronald, it isn't what you think- please let me expla…" "SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP!" he screamed "I can't join you- it wouldn't be fair to Ron" he mocked "At least you had the decency to not leave me for the son of a bitch! But shagging him behind my back?! The day after we buy a house together?! The day after you promise to have my children?!" the veins in his neck bulging and his breathing heaved. "No Ron! It isn't wh…" "Avada Kedavra" he screamed. A green light shot straight towards her chest. She stumbled backwards and looked at him in utter shock. He had tried to kill her. He had… "Oh gods" he cried, eyes wide with disbelief "oh gods, Mione- I'm so sorry" he sobbed, coming to her and taking her hands in his. "I'm so sorry, oh gods please forgive me baby…" his body shook with sobs. He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them hard. His hot lips burning her ice cold hands. _Wait! What? _She panicked. _My ice cold… _her thought trailing off and she looked up to see a sympathetic looking Draco reaching out to her.

It was a rainy day when Ron packed up and moved out. The courts had taken pity on him and sided with the wronged husband of an accused adulteress. It also helped that he was one third of the Golden Trio and that Harry Potter had taken his side, citing that he'd spoken earlier with Hermione about his suspicions only to have them confirmed by her callousness and distance. 'Temporary insanity' the courts had dubbed it. He looked back at the house one last time before making his way to the apparition point.

Cold lips kissed her cold neck as she watched Ron leave from the upstairs window. "He'll be fine, he deserves to be happy and loved" Draco whispered. Hermione turned and faced Draco. "I don't understand though. And it kills me to think he thought I was unfaithful. For that to be his last memory of me- a cheating, lying whore of a wife." "Shhh" he crooned "None of that matters now. We're here together at last. We can live out our dreams in the afterlife. Together." She sighed and kissed him. Walking away muttering to herself about 'huge misunderstanding'.

Draco turned towards the window and smirked at the spot where Weasel was. _Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin_, he thought.


End file.
